The collaboration aims to integrate employee compensation scheme records with National Identity Numbers (NIN) for enhanced efficiency, security, and transparency in social security services.
The Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) has announced a significant partnership with the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) to integrate data of enrollees under the Employees’ Compensation Scheme (ECS) into the national identity database. This move is set to bolster efficiency, security, and transparency in processing employee claims.
NSITF Managing Director, Mr. Oluwaseun Faleye, disclosed this initiative on Wednesday during a courtesy visit to NIMC Director-General, Mrs. Abisoye Coker-Odusote, in Abuja. Faleye underscored the critical importance of linking employees’ bio-data with their National Identity Numbers (NIN) to streamline the validation and verification of registered workers.
Strengthening NSITF’s Efficiency and Broadening Social Security
Faleye explained that this strategic collaboration will significantly enhance NSITF’s operations, improve its database management, and strengthen Nigeria’s overall social security framework. He noted that accurate employee data would be readily available for verification, boosting NSITF’s efficiency.
“The partnership will help improve NSITF’s efficiency and enhance its processes as regards database management, thereby broadening social security,” Faleye stated. He further highlighted that NIMC’s extensive research and data collection across the country would provide invaluable demographic insights, optimizing the Employees’ Compensation Scheme.
Aligning Identity Validation with National Policy
Drawing parallels to other essential identification requirements, such as NIN validation for Nigerian passports, Faleye stressed the necessity of integrating employee records with the NIN system for seamless and accurate management.
“Today in Nigeria, to get a passport, your NIN must be verified. So we must adopt the same measure to seamlessly get adequate and accurate data of all employees under the scheme,” he emphasized.
He reiterated that the ECS serves as a vital safety net for Nigerian workers, providing compensation for workplace-related injuries, disabilities, or death. Integrating NIN validation will streamline the identification process, ensuring eligible workers receive timely benefits and reducing fraudulent activities.
Expanding Social Security Initiatives
Faleye emphasized the broader implications of the partnership, stating it would enable NSITF to identify eligible individuals not just for ECS benefits but also for future social security initiatives. “We feel that a partnership with your organization will further enhance our ability to provide that service much more efficiently, particularly in the areas of access to the national database,” he added.
NIMC’s Commitment to Accelerate Integration
In response, NIMC Director-General, Mrs. Abisoye Coker-Odusote, assured NSITF of her agency’s full support, pledging to provide the necessary technical backing for smooth integration. “We will definitely hand your IT team over to our own IT group so that they can collaborate and immediately form a working group together. We can work out the framework around this integration,” she affirmed.
Odusote committed to an ambitious timeline, stating that full integration would be completed within a week, expressing confidence that this partnership would become a significant achievement for both organizations.
This strategic collaboration marks a pivotal step toward modernizing Nigeria’s employee compensation system, enhancing data management, verification processes, and ultimately, financial security for workers nationwide.
